Slate-pencil sharpener



(No Model.)

G. S. N. HUMPHRIES. SLATE PENCIL SHARPENER.

Patented Nov. 22, 1892. H5.

.JII

W/TA/ES'SES/ UNrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

GEORGE S. N. HUMPHRIES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SLATE-PENCIL SHARPEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,470, dated November 22, 1892.

Application filed May 28, 1892. Serial No. 434,750. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. N. HUM- PHRIES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Frankford,(Philadelphia) in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slate-Pencil Sharpeners, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, durable, and efficient slate-pencil-sharpening device.

My invention consists of a slate-pencilsharpening device constructed and arranged substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Thenature and characteristic features of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in which- Flgure 1 1s a top or plan view, drawn to an enlarged scale, of a slate-pencil sharpener embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view,drawn to an enlarged scale, of the rear of the device with the hinged sliding plate thereof withdrawn from its normal position in connection with the device in order to expose to view the internal construction of the part for effecting the grinding away and pointing of the pencil; and Fig. 3 is a similar view of the devicein its normal or operative position, illustrating the manner of holding the device with one hand'and also showing a slate-pencil in application thereto and the mode of sharpening and pointing the same in the device.

Referring to the drawings, a is a butterflyshaped casting comprising integral lateral wings a and a and abill 0, The semicircular body portion of the casting a is provided with tapering ribs 1), which extend from one end of the casting to near the other end thereof and with a contracted ofiset b at or near the outer end 19 of the casting, adapted to permit of the reception and retention of the point formed on the slate-pencil while the other portion thereof is being ground away or is given its proper conical form.

c is a stop or projection formed on the under or rear side of the wing a of the butterfly-shaped casting a, for a purpose to be presently fully explained. The ribbed and channeled conical internal body of the casting a performs the grinding operation on the slatepencil in a manner to be presently explained. To the wing a of the casting a is pivoted a sliding and centrally-recessed plate d, adapted to be swung into position and to be seated against the rear surfaces a and a of the casting a, with the outer edges of this plate in contact with the inner Wall 0 of the stop or projection c, the sliding and centrally -recessed plate (1 being hinged or pivoted to the wing a by means of a rivet d or other suitable means, and-the recess provided in the plate 61 is a tapering one in order to conform in an opposed position to the tapering ribbed and channeled body of the casting a. The lug or bill a of the casting a is provided in order to form a rest and bearing-surface for the fingers in holding the device while employed for effecting the intended operation upon a slate-pencil blank.

In use the device may be employed for sharpening and pointinga slate-pencil in the following manner: The fingers of the left hand are preferably caused to assume the respective positions shown in Fig. 3 in connection with the device with the pivoted sliding-plate (1 brought into such position as that the upper edge at one portion thereof will be in contact with the stop or projection a, when the slate-pencil blank eto be sharpened is inserted into one end of the device. Certain of the fingers of the right hand are then employed to rotate around and around the blank in contact with the tapering ribbed and channeled surface of the casting a, and recessed surface of the plated. The frictional bearing due to the pressure of the thumb against the plate 01 and cast-ing acauses the pencil e by such rotation thereof in a short time to be ground away and pointed in a most satisfactory manner, and the ash or fine particles removed during the abrading or. grinding-away operation collect in the channels formed in the body of the casting a. By holding the device at a slight angle such ash and fine particles can be readily removed from the device without in the least interfering with the sharpening and pointing operation of the article. When the pencil has been sufficiently ground away and pointed, it may then be withdrawn by hand from the device for use.

This pocket device for sharpening slate-pencils is exceedingly simple in construction and in its mode of operation for theintended purpose; but it will be manifestly obvious that as to minor details some modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A slate-pencil sharpener comprising a partially-cylindrical casting having a ribbed and channeled internal body and a coveringplate applied thereto, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A slate-pencil sharpener comprising a casting having a tapering ribbed and channeled internal body and a pivoted and tapering recessed plate adapted to contact or seat With the rear surface of said casting, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A slate-pencil sharpener comprising a casting having Wings anda ribbed and channeled tapering internal body, and a plate pivoted to one of said Wings and adapted to be brought into engagement with and held in position on the one side of said Wings, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. A slate-pencil sharpener comprising a casting having wings, a bill, stop, and a ribbed inner body, and a plate pivoted to one of said Wings and adapted to be brought into engagement with said stop, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. A slate-pencil sharpener comprising a casting having a tapering or conical ribbed inner body, wings, and a stop, and a sliding plate connected with one of said wings and adapted to contact with the stop of the other wing, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. A slate-pencil sharpener comprising a casting having a tapering or conical ribbed and channeled internal body and a contracted offset at the upper or outer end thereof, Wings, a stop, and a bill formed integral with said casting, and a plate pivoted to one of said wings and adapted to engage With the stop of the other of said wings, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE S. N. I'IUMPIIRIES.

Witnesses:

GEo. W. LAMBERT, FREDK. D. ECKHARDT. 

